Download Vocabulary

Chapter 1:
1. Environmental Science – the field of study that looks at interactions among human systems and those
found in nature
2. Biophillia – an appreciation for life
3. Replication – the data collection procedure of taking repeated measurements
4. Precision – how close the repeated measurements of a sample are to one another
5. Inductive Reasoning – the process of making general statements from specific facts or examples
6. Environmental Justice – a social movement and field of study that focuses on equal enforcement of
environmental laws and eliminating disparities in the exposure of environmental harms to different
ethnic and socioeconomic groups within a society.
7. Environmentalists – a person who participates in environmentalism, a social movement that seeks to
protect the environment through lobbying, activism, and education.
8. Sustainability – living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving
future generations of those resources
9. Biodiversity – the diversity of life forms in an environment
10. Anthropogenic – derived from human activities
11. Ecological development – improvement in human well-being through economic advancement
12. Theory – a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of
researchers and has reached wide acceptance
Chapter 2:
1. Matter – anything that occupies space and has mass
2. Mass – a measurement of the amount of matter an object contains
3. Molecule – a particle containing more than one atom
4. Isotope – atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
5. Radioactive decay – the spontaneous release of material from the nucleus of radioactive isotopes
6. Half-life – the time it takes for one-half of an original radioactive parent atom to decay
7. Law of Conservation of Matter – a law of nature stating that matter cannot be created or destroyed
8. Inorganic Compound – a compound that does not contain the element carbon or contains carbon
bound to elements other than hydrogen
9. Organic Compound – a compound that contains carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds
10. 1st Law of Thermodynamics
11. 2nd Law of Thermodynamics – the law stating that when energy is transformed, the quantity of energy
remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes
12. Entropy – randomness in a system
13. Open System – a system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries
14. Closed System – a system in which matter and energy exchanges do not occur across boundaries
Chapter 3:
1. Detritivores – an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissue and waste products into
smaller particles
2. Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) – the total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem
capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time.
3. Net Primary Productivity (NPP) – the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy
producers respire
4. Biomass – the total mass of all living matter in a specific area
5. Standing Crop – the amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a given time
6. Ecological Efficiency – the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to
another
7. Biosphere – the region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on Earth
8. Biogeochemical Cycle – the movements of matter within and between ecosystems
9. Hydrologic Cycle – the movement of water through the biosphere
10. Transpiration – the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis
11. Evapotranspiration – the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration
12. Runoff – water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers
13. Macronutrients – the six key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts: nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur
14. Limiting Nutrient – a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity
than other nutrients
15. Nitrogen Fixation – a process by which some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules directly
into ammonia
16. Leaching – the transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater
17. Disturbance – an event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in
population size or community composition
18. Water Shed – all land in a given area that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland
19. Resistance – a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an
ecosystem
20. Resilience- the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance
21. Restoration Ecology – the study and implementation of restoring damaged ecosystems
22. Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis – the hypothesis that ecosystems experience intermediate levels
of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels
23. Instrumental Value – something that has worth as an instrument or a tool that can be used to
accomplish a goal
24. Intrinsic Value – the worth independent of any benefit it may provide to humans, the moral value of a
life
25. Provisions – a good that humans can use directly
Chapter 4:
1. Troposphere – a layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately
16km and containing most of the atmosphere’s nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor. Where weather
occurs.
2. Stratosphere – the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50km
above the surface of the Earth. Where you find the ozone layer
3. Albedo – the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
4. Saturation Point – the maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature
5. Adiabatic Cooling – the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere
and expands
6. Adiabatic Heating – the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of
Earth and decreases in volume
7. Latent Heat Release – the release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid
water
8. Hadley Cell – a convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30 oN and
30oS
9. Polar Cell – a convection cell in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60oN and 60oS and sinks at
the poles, 90oN and 90oS
10. Coriolis Effect – the deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of Earth
11. Gyres – a large-scale patter of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and
counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
12. Upwelling – the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents
13. Thermohaline Circulation – an oceanic circulation patter that drives the mixing of surface water and
deep water
14. Rain Shadow – a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result
of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side
15. Permafrost – an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil
16. Littoral Zone – the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent
plants grow
17. Limnetic Zone – a zone of open water in lakes and ponds
18. Phytoplankton – floating algae
19. Profundal Zone – a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very
deep lakes
20. Intertidal Zone – the narrow bank of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide
21. Photic Zone – the upper layer of water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis
22. Aphotic Zone – the layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis
23. Chemosynthesis – a process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and
hydrogen sulfide
Chapter 5:
1. Ecosystem Diversity – the variety of ecosystems within a given given region
2. Species Diversity – the variety of species within a given ecosystem
3. Genetic Diversity – the variety of genes within a given species
4. Microevolution – evolution occurring below the species level
5. Macroevolution – evolution that gives rise to new species, genera, families, classes, or phyla
6. Genotype – the complete set of genes in an individual
7. Mutation – a random change in the genetic code produced by a mistake in the copying process
8. Recombination – the genetic process by which one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another
chromosome during reproductive cell division
9. Phenotype – a set traits expressed by an individual
10. Genetic Drift – a change in the genetic composition of a population over time as a result of random
mating
11. Bottleneck Effect – a reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by a reduction in its size
12. Founder Effect – a change in population descended from a small number of colonizing individuals
13. Geographic Isolation – physical separation of a group of individuals from others of the same species
14. Reproductive Isolation – the result of two populations within a species evolving separately so they can
no longer interbreed and produce viable offspring
15. Allopatric Selection – the process of speciation that occurs with geographic isolation
16. Sympatric Speciation – the evolution of one species into two, without geographic isolation
17. Genetic Engineering – techniques, scientist can now copy genes from a species with some desirable
trait
18. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) – an organism produced by copying genes from a species with
a desirable trait and inserting them into another species
19. Range of Tolerance – the limits to the abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate
20. Fundamental Niche – the suite of ideal environmental conditions for a species
21. Realized Niche – the range of abiotic and biotic conditions under which a species actually lives
22. Distribution – areas of the world in which a species lives
23. Niche Generalists – a species that can live under a wide range of abiotic or biotic conditions
24. Niche Specialists – a species that is specialized to live in a specific habitat or to feed on a small group of
species
Chapter 6:
1. Population – the individuals that belong to the same species and live in a given area at a given time
2. Community – all of the populations of organisms within a given area
3. Sex-ratio – the ratio of males to females
4. Age Structure – a description of how many individuals fit into particular age categories
5. Density-dependent Factors – a factor that influences an individual’s probability of survival and
reproduction in a manner that depends on the size of the population
6. Limiting Resource – a resource that a population cannot live without and that occurs in quantities
lower than the population would require to increase in size
7. Carrying Capacity (K) – the limit of how many individuals in a population the food supply can sustain
8. Density-independent Factors – a factor that has the same effect on an individual’s probability of
survival and the amount of reproduction at any population size
9. Growth Rate – the number of offspring an individual can produce in a given time period, minus the
death of the individual or any of its offspring during the same period
10. Intrinsic Growth Rate (r) – the maximum potential for growth of a population under ideal conditions
with unlimited resources
11. Overshoot – when a population becomes larger than the environment’s carrying capacity
12. Die-off – a rapid decline in a population due to death
13. K-selected Species – a species with a low intrinsic growth rate that causes the population to increase
slowly until it reaches carrying capacity
14. R-selected Species – a species that has a high intrinsic growth rate, which often leads to population
overshoots and die-offs
15. Corridors – a strip of natural habitat that connects separated populations
16. Metapopulations – a group of spatially distinct populations that are connected by occasional
movements of individuals between them
17. Competition – the struggle of individuals to obtain a limiting resource
18. Competitive Exclusion Principal – the principle stating that two species competing for the same limiting
resource cannot coexist
19. Resource Partitioning – a situation in which two species divide a resource, based on differences in their
behavior or morphology
20. Keystone Species – a species that is far more important in its community than its relative abundance
might suggest
21. Ecosystem Engineers – a keystone species that creates or maintains habitat for other species
Chapter 7:
1. Demography – the study of human populations and population trends
2. Immigration – the movement of people into a country or region, having come from another country or
region
3. Emigration – the movement of people out of a country or region, to settle in another country or region
4. Crude Birth Rate (CBR) – the number of births per 1,000 individuals per year
5. Crude Death Rate (CDR) – the number of deaths per 1,000 individuals per year
6. Doubling Time – the number of years it takes a population to double
7. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) – an estimate of the average number of children that each woman in a
population will bear throughout her childbearing years
8. Replacement Level Fertility – the total fertility rate required to offset the average number of deaths in
a population in order to maintain the current population size.
9. Developed Countries – a country with relatively high levels of industrialization and income
10. Developing Countries – a country with relatively low levels of industrialization and income
11. Life Expectancy – the average number of years that an infant born in a particular year in a particular
country can be expected to live, given the current average life span and death rate in that country
12. Infant Mortality Rate – the number of death of children under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births
13. Child Mortality Rate – the number of deaths of children under the age of 5 per 1,000 live births
14. Population Momentum – continued population growth that does not slow in response to growth
reduction measures
15. Net Migration Rate – the difference between immigration and emigration in a given year per 1,000
people in a country
16. Family Planning – the practice of regulating the number or spacing of offspring through the use of birth
control
17. Affluence – the state of having plentiful wealth; the possession of money, goods, or property
18. Urban Area – an area that contains more than 385 people per square kilometer (1,000 people per
square mile)
19. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a measure of the value of all products and services produced in a
country in a year
Chapter 8:
1. Magma – molten rock
2. Plate Tectonics – the theory that the lithosphere of Earth is divided into plates, most of which are in
constant motion
3. Tectonic Cycle – the cycle of processes that build up and break down the lithosphere
4. Subduction – the process of one crustal plate passing under another
5. Volcano – a vent in the surface of Earth that emits ash, gases, and/or molten lava
6. Divergent Plate Boundary – an area beneath the ocean where tectonic plates move way from each
other
7. Seafloor Spreading – the formation of new ocean crust as a result of magma pushing upward and
outward from Earth’s mantle to the surface
8. Convergent Plate Boundary – an area where plates move toward one another to collide
9. Transform Fault Boundary – an area where tectonic plates move sideways past each other
10. Fault – a fracture in rock caused by a movement of Earth’s crust
11. Earthquakes – the sudden movement of Earth’s crust caused by a release of potential energy along a
geologic fault and usually causing a vibration or trembling at Earth’s surface
12. Seismic Activity – the frequency and intensity of earthquakes
13. Epicenter – the exact point on the surface of Earth directly above the location where rock ruptures
during an earthquake
14. Rock Cycle – the continue formation and destruction of rock on and below the surface of Earth
15. Fractures – in geology, a crack that occurs in rocks as it cools
16. Physical Weathering – the mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals
17. Chemical Weathering – the breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of
chemical elements from rocks, or both
18. Acid Precipitation/Rain – precipitation high in sulfuric acid and nitric acid from reactions between
sulfur dioxide and water vapor and nitrogen oxides and water vapor in the atmosphere
19. Erosion – the physical removal of rock fragments from a landscape or ecosystem
20. Deposition – the accumulation or depositing of eroded material such as sediment, rock fragments, or
soil
21. Soil – a mix of geologic and organic components that forms a dynamic membrane covering much of
Earth’s surface
22. Parent Material – rock underlying soil; the material from which the inorganic components of a soil are
derived
23. Horizons – layers in the soil that are developed as the soil develops, have distinct characteristics
24. Topsoil (A Horizon)– frequently the top layer of soil, characterized by mixing of organic material and
mineral material
25. Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) – the ability of a particular soil to absorb and release cations
26. Base Saturation – the proportion of soil bases to soil acids, expressed as a percentage
27. Soil Degradation – the loss of some or all of a soil’s ability to support plant growth
28. Crustal Abundance – the average concentration of an element in Earth’s crust
Chapter 9:
1. Aquifers – a permeable layer of rock and sediment that contains groundwater
2. Unconfined Aquifer – an aquifer made of porous rock covered by soil, which water can easily flow into
and out of
3. Confined Aquifer – an aquifer surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay that impedes water
flow
4. Water Table – the uppermost level at which the water in a given area fully saturates rock or soil
5. Groundwater Recharge – a process by which water percolates through the soil and works its way into
an aquifer
6. Springs – a natural source of water formed wen water from an aquifer percolates up to the ground
surface
7. Artesian Well – a well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer
8. Cone of Depression – an area from which the groundwater has been rapidly withdrawn
9. Saltwater Intrusion – an infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been
reduced from extensive drilling of wells
10. Floodplain – the land adjacent to a river
11. Oligotrophic – a lake with a low level of productivity as a result of low amount of nutrients in the water
12. Mesotrophic – a lake with a moderate level of productivity
13. Eutrophic – a lake with a high level of productivity
14. Impermeable Surfaces – pavement or buildings that do not allow water penetration
15. Levee – an enlarged bank built up on each side of a river to prevent flooding
16. Dikes – a structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land
17. Dam – a barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water
18. Reservoir – a body of water created by blocking the natural flow of a waterway
19. Fish Ladders – a stair-like structure that allows migrating fish to get around a dam
20. Aqueducts – a canal or ditch used to carry water from one location to another
21. Desalination – the process of removing the salt from salt water
22. Hydroponic Agriculture – the cultivation of plants in greenhouse conditions by immersing roots in a
nutrient rich solution
Chapter 10:
1. Tragedy of the Commons – the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because
people act form self-interest for short-term gain
2. Externality – the cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that
good or service
3. Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) – the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be
harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource
4. Resource Conservation Ethic – the belief that people should maximize use of resources, based on the
greatest good for everyone
5. Multiple-Use Land – a US classification used to designate lands that may be used for recreation,
grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction
6. Clear Cutting – a method of harvesting trees that involves removing all or almost all of the trees within
a given area
7. Selective Cutting – the method of harvesting trees that involves the removal of single trees or relatively
small number of trees from among many in a forest
8. Ecologically Sustainable Forestry – an approach to removing trees from forests in ways that do not
unduly affect the viability of other trees
9. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) – a document outlining the scope and purpose of a
development project, describing the environmental context, suggesting alternative approaches to the
project, and analyzing the environmental impact of each alternative
10. Environmental Mitigation Plan – a plant that outlines how a developer will address concerns raised by
a project’s impact on the environment
11. Suburban – an area surrounding a metropolitan center, with a comparatively low population density
12. Exurban – an area similar to a suburb, but unconnected to any central city or densely populated area
13. Urban Sprawl – urbanized area that spread into rural areas, removing clear boundaries between the
two
14. Urban Blight – the degradation of the built and social environments of the city that often accompanies
and accelerates migration to the suburbs
15. Induced Demand – the phenomenon in which increase in the supply of a good causes demand to grow
16. Zoning – a planning tool used to separate industry and business from residential neighhborhoods
17. Multi-use Zoning – a zoning classification that allows retail and high-density residential development to
coexist in the same area
18. Smart Growth – a set or principles for community planning that focuses on strategies to encourage the
development of sustainable, healthy communities
19. Stakeholders – a person or organization with an interest in a particular place or issue
20. Sense of Place – the feeling that an area has distinct and meaningful character
21. Transit-oriented Development (TOD) – development that attempts to focus dense residential and retail
development around stops for public transportation, a component of smart growth
22. Infill – development that fills in vacant lots within existing communities
23. Urban Growth Boundaries – a restriction on development outside a designated area
24. Eminent Domain – a principle that grants government the power to acquire a property at fair market
value even if the owner does not wish to sell it
Chapter 11:
1. Undernutrition – the condition in which not enough calories are ingested to maintain health
2. Malnourished – having a diet that lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and
minerals
3. Food Security – a condition in which people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that
meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life
4. Food Insecurity – a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food
5. Famine – the condition in which food insecurity is so extreme that large numbers of deaths occur in a
given area over a relatively short period
6. Anemia – a deficiency of iron
7. Overnutrition – ingestion of too many calories and improper foods
8. Industrial Agriculture – agriculture that applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization
9. Energy Subsidy – the energy input per calorie of food produced
10. Green Revolution – a shift in agricultural practices in the twentieth century that included new
management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties, and
resulted in increased food output
11. Economics of Scale – the observation that average costs of production fall as output increases
12. Waterlogging – a form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged
periods
13. Salinization – a form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amount of salts in irrigation water
becomes highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation
14. Organic Fertilizers – fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals
15. Synthetic/Inorganic fertilizers – fertilizer produced commercially, normally with the use of fossil fuels
16. Monocropping – an agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety
17. Pesticides – a substance, either natural or synthetic, that kills or controls organisms that people
consider pests
18. Insecticides – a pesticide that targets species of insects and other invertebrates
19. Herbicides – a pesticide that targets plant species that compete with crops
20. Broad-Spectrum Pesticide – a pesticide that kills many different types of pests
21. Selective Pesticide – a pesticide that targets a narrower range of organisms
22. Persistent – the length of time a chemical remains in the environment
23. Bioaccumulation – an increased concentration of a chemical within an organism over time
24. Nonpersistant Pesticide – a pesticide that breaks down rapidly, usually in weeks or months
25. Resistance – a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an
ecosystem
26. Pesticide Treadmill – a cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new
pesticide development
27. Conventional Agriculture/Industrial Agriculture – agriculture that applies the techniques of
mechanization and standardization
28. Shifting Agriculture – an agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the
soil is depleted of nutrients
29. Desertification – the transforming of arable, productive land to desert or unproductive land due to
climate change or destructive land use
30. Nomadic Grazing – feeding herds of animals by moving them to seasonally productive feeding grounds,
often over long distances
31. Sustainable Agriculture – agriculture that fulfills the need for food and fiber while enhancing the
quality of the soil, minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources, and allowing economic viability for
the farmer
32. Intercropping – an agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field
at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction
33. Agroforestry – an agricultural technique in which trees and vegetables are intercropped
34. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – an agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed
to minimize pesticide inputs
35. Organic Agriculture – production of crops with the goal of improving the soil each year without the use
of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
36. Fishery – a commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region
37. Aquaculture – farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds